


Of Motherhood and Rebellion

by ReySkyrissian (ErinacchiLove)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe - Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Fall, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Conversations, Fix-It, Friendship, Gen, Motherhood, running a rebellion isn't easy when you're a parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 11:29:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17202641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErinacchiLove/pseuds/ReySkyrissian
Summary: Having just given birth, Hera Syndulla has a hard time figuring out how to balance motherhood and being a rebel general. Thankfully there is another mother running the rebellion.





	Of Motherhood and Rebellion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ladyoakenshields](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyoakenshields/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A Family Affair](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15040124) by [ladyoakenshields](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyoakenshields/pseuds/ladyoakenshields). 



> Kat, happy (late) Christmas!
> 
> I reread your fic and this idea came to me, I hope you like it^^
> 
> And I hope everyone else likes it too^^

Hera looked at Jacen sleeping in her arms and sighed. In a sense she had wanted to avoid this and work things out by herself with Kanan, but… Chancellor Amidala was the only one she knew in the Alliance to have gone through what she was going through right now. So, better get this over with. Hera knocked the door and hoped the Chancellor was present.

     “Come in,” came an answer. Hera pressed the opening panel and the door slid open. Chancellor Amidala was sitting at her desk and looked up from her datapad.

     “Chancellor, if this is a bad time, I can come later,” Hera said.

     Amidala shook her head. “No, this is as good a time as any. What can I do for you, General Syndulla?”

     Hera sat down, making sure Jacen was peaceful, before answering, “I didn't know who else to ask this from, but… how did you do it?”

     “Do what?” Amidala asked.

     “Well, all of it,” Hera said, making a vague gesture with her free hand. “Raising your twins, running this rebellion, finding balance between everything… it's very admirable.”

     Amidala smiled and put her datapad away. “I think it's a sum of many things. For one, I was prepared for motherhood, I had things planned out. Of course most of those plans changed when the Empire rose and when it turned out I had two babies instead of one, but still. I was ready to be a mother.”

     Hera made a face. She sure as hell hadn't prepared for this. She and Kanan had had no idea they were even compatible that way. Her pregnancy had been the biggest surprise in the whole galaxy. A pleasant surprise of course, but timing couldn’t have been worse, for both the pregnancy and the labor. _Of course_ Hera’s water just happened to break just as the Death Star threatened to annihilate them all.

     “But,” Amidala continued, “what I think was even more important, maybe even the most important part of all of it, I had help. Not just Anakin but also Ahsoka and Rex, and later Bail and Breha. I couldn't have done it without them. It took me a while to learn it but… no one is a worse parent for needing help.”

     Well then. That was, in fact, a relief to hear. And when Hera thought about her family, they were all more than eager to help. Even Kallus who had freely admitted that he knew next to nothing about babies had been nothing short of doting towards Jacen. Zeb, on the other hand, was a natural, and so was Ketsu (which was a surprise). Sabine had already proven to be efficient in changing diapers, and Ezra was very eager to help feed Jacen.

     And finally there was Kanan. Kanan, who had never thought of becoming a father but who parenthood suited better than well. Kanan was simply irreplaceable. Sure, he was inexperienced, but so was Hera, and the whole point was that they'd learn together.

     Hera nodded. “Thank you, Chancellor. This eased my mind a great deal.”

     “Any time,” said Amidala. “And please don't hesitate asking me again if you feel like it. I'm happy to help.”

     The door slid open again and Chancellor Amidala's son, Luke, walked in.

     “Hey, Mom,” he said, “here's the evac report you wanted– oh.”

     Hera had a few times thought that Luke was adorable when he blushed. The kid might've destroyed the Death Star but at the end of the day he was still just that, a kid.

     Luke coughed and said, “Sorry, I didn't mean to barge in like that.”

     “Don't worry, sweetheart,” said Amidala with that kind smile of hers. “I'm sure General Syndulla would like to hear the report too.”

     “Yes please,” Hera agreed. “Kanan has quite efficiently banned me from participating in anything that needs physical work, and admittedly it is a bit hard with a baby.”

     Luke rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, long story short, everything is going alright. Leia got in a fight with General Draven about something but Dad and Captain Andor broke it off, and for whatever reason Han and Chewie are still hanging around but they're more than pulling their weight.”

     “Good,” Hera commented, noting quickly the Chancellor’s attempt to not smile upon hearing about her daughter, and settled Jacen better in her arms. “I have some issues with Solo, but we do need every pair of hands we can get. Anything on the Empire’s movements?”

     Luke shook his head. “No change as of yet, they’re regrouping but Bodhi and Captain Kallus calculated that we ought to have enough time to get to D’Qar safely.”

     Amidala nodded. “I have some inventory to do, but you can go tell General Madine or Admiral Ackbar that they can begin the evacuating.”

     Luke made a two-finger salute and left the office. Hera got up from her chair and said, “I should go too. No matter what Kanan says, I can still make sure the _Ghost_ is ready for take-off.”

     “Alright, but don’t do anything that requires heavy lifting,” Amidala answered. “I’m sure Captain Orrelios is more than happy to do that for you.”

     Hera snorted a laugh. The Chancellor wasn’t wrong about that. Zeb really was more than eager to do all heavy lifting now, even with Kanan and Ezra there who could literally lift things with the Force.

     “I promise I won’t lift anything that weighs more than Jacen,” Hera said, still chuckling, and turned to leave.

     “Oh, and Hera?” Amidala called.

     “Yes, Chancellor?”

     Amidala smiled again. “Please, just call me Padmé when we’re in private. I have a feeling we will be working very closely together, and it will make things more comfortable for both of us.”

     Hera returned Padmé’s smile, nodded, and took her leave.

     Motherhood didn’t seem so scary anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated ♥


End file.
